Students at St James School have taken part in a powerful and creative initiative in partnership with the University of Exeter’s B-HUGS project. The students had the unique opportunity to work with local artist Jedidah Chick during a special workshop aimed at encouraging cultural awareness, artistic expression, and a sense of belonging.

B-HUGs (Belonging, History, Understanding, Growth, Solidarity) is a collaborative project for social change run by a collective of Black scholars at the University of Exeter who are partnering with local schools to create spaces of belonging for Black youth in the South West. As part of this work, they offer opportunities for secondary school pupils to engage in various activities with Black educators and university students to enable improved representation in the local education landscape.

This workshop with local artist Jedidah Chick invited selected students to reflect on their personal experiences and cultural backgrounds in relation to Black history. It focused on empowering Black history and invited students to contribute art and writing to a collaborative piece of art that will be exhibited this summer.

The collaborative artwork created during the workshop is set to be unveiled later this summer, standing as a testament to the power of youth voice and cultural expression in education.

Jedidah Chick is a Black British artist who was born in Zimbabwe and is based in Devon. Her original paintings fuse African modern art and the lush landscapes and coastal scenes of the local Devon and Cornwall countryside.

She grew up in post-colonial Zimbabwe at a time when the history of African culture was not celebrated or accurately taught in schools. Jedidah’s knowledge of her African heritage, especially the untold stories of her female ancestors, has become the driving force behind her art. Through her paintings she celebrates the African female figure, her struggle, and her history, often focusing on Afro hair and the message of resilience and self empowerment.

St James School, which is part of the Ted Wragg Trust, is proud of its diverse community, which it actively celebrates through dedicated diversity groups and whole-school events such as assemblies. The school embraces difference and recognises the value it brings to enriching the entire school environment.

Emily Harper, Headteacher at St James School said:

“This was a truly inspiring experience for our students. Working with Jedidah Chick and the B-HUGS team allowed them to see their own stories reflected in art and education. We are incredibly proud to support initiatives that centre representation, creativity, and a deeper understanding of our shared histories.”

Dr Safi Darden, Senior Lecturer at the University of Exeter said:

"Running this workshop was without a doubt the highlight of our term. This was due to the level of engagement, enthusiasm and creative expression that we saw in the young people that we had the opportunity to work with on those two afternoons. They brought so much to the workshop through their stories, their excitement and all of the art that they produced. We could see this also in the inspiration that they gave the artist that was working with them through their conversations, the questions they posed and the things that they were interested in seeing represented. We're waiting with excited anticipation to see what the final piece is going to look like and look forward to returning to the school for the unveiling."